Apparatus for treating tomatoes, etc.



June 19, 1934. E. c. EBERTS APPARATUS FOR TREATINO TOMATOES, ETC

vFiled NOV. 19, 1932 NN NN NN CII Patented `une 19, 11934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Edward C. Eberts, Jeffersonville, Ind.

Application November 19, 1932, Serial No. 643,407

1 Claim.

The object of my invention is to provide an eicient means for separating fruit juices and a desired accompanying volume of pulp from fruits of Various kinds, the structure being such as to be highly eicient and capable of long continued and effective operation while submerged in a bath of juice and pulp.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation in partial vertica section, of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an axial vertical section with one of the brushes omitted;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of a bath-containing vat with my improved juice separator in operative position, and

Fig. 4 a fragmentary axial section showing a modified form of brush holder.

In the drawing 10, 10 indicate two similar mating annular structures carrying inwardly-proj ecting radial ribs 11 which support a central bearing 12. Outer radial faces of the ribs l1 are preferably in the plane of the outer axial face of the annulus 10 and bridging the annular space between annulus 10 and hub 12 is a suitable screen 13 of desired mesh or porosity. Each of the members 10 is provided, at the axial end opposite the screen-supporting end, with a circumferential flange 14, which flanges may be secured together by suitable bolts 15.

Each annulus 10 is also conveniently provided with supporting legs 16 and, in its lowermost portion, with a semi-cylindrical radial passage 17, said passage 17 mating, when the parts are secured together, to provide a suitable threaded passage 17 to which a suitable delivery pipe 18 may be connected.

Journaled in the hubs 12 is a shaft 20 provided with brushes 21, 21 arranged to sweep the external faces of the screens 13.

The structure above described is designed to be located in a tank 25 beneath the normal level of fruit juice and pulp established therein by any suitable means, shaft 20 being carried through a suitable packing gland 27 and provided with suitable means by which rotation may be controlled,

as for instance the tight pulley 28 and loose pul- 6o ley 29.

The described structure being submerged in a bath of juice and pulp, juice and entrained pulp will pass through the screens and thence to the outilow pipe 18 and the brushes 21, sweeping the screens, will force a, desired portion of the fruit pulp through the screens with the juice and will keep the screens free from that portion of the pulp which is not desired to be entrained with the juice, so that the structure remains highly ei- 7o cient through long periods.

It is, of course, desirable to make provision for brush wear and brush pressure upon the screens 13. In Fig. 2 the brushes 21 are splined upon the shaft 20 and each one is backed by a spring 30 the outer end of which abuts an axially-adjustable collar 31 mounted on the shaft.

In Fig. 4 the shaft 20, instead of being journaled directly in the hubs 12 carries a sleeve 35 which is splined to shaft 20 and carries at one end a brush holder 36 provided with radial pockets 80 37 into which the brushes 21 may be detachably pocketed. A similar brush holder 36 carries brushes 21 and is splined upon sleeve 35 and backed by a spring 38 which abuts a collar 39 85 

